Lightening Up Macaroni and Cheese

Ahh… Macaroni and cheese, the ultimate comfort food. If ever
there was a dish that calls for rich, creamy and warm flavors when you take
that first bite, it is this one. But there’s no way we can make it healthier
and have it still taste good right? Not so fast! Try these tips below and you may
just be surprised.

Switch to low fat
cheese. Choose a light sharp cheddar in place of your regular one and your
dish will still be just as tasty, but with up to 75% less fat. You will not
taste the difference. Trust us on this one.

Skimp on the butter.
You might have heard about European-style butter’s superior quality. The main
difference between these butters and the rest is the fat. European-style butter
has about 2-5% more fat than other butters, giving it more flavor. What does
that mean? That means you can get away with using half the amount of butter a
recipe calls for if you substitute your regular butter for a European-style
one, that way, you keep the buttery flavor, but cut your fat by up to half!

Add vegetables.
Substitute about 1/3 cup of your macaroni for 1 cup of chopped vegetables like broccoli
or cauliflower and you immediately save on calories, add more fiber, and reduce
the amount of carbs on this dish!

Swap for whole grain
noodles. Whole grain pasta is one of the easiest swaps you can make to this
dish. These noodles have a nuttier flavor to them that is barely detectable
when mixed in with all the cheese. They will however, give you a lot more fiber
per serving than its refined counterpart. To compare: 1 serving of Barilla
brand whole grain elbow pasta has 6 grams of fiber while its regular version
only gives you 2 grams per serving.

Kick things up with
spices. Just because it’s healthy, it doesn’t have to be bland. Spice
things up with dry mustard, black pepper, or cayenne pepper or a combination of
these (or any other spice of your liking); you’ll be adding flavor without the
calories.

Try making one or all of these swaps to your mac
and cheese this holiday season and you and your guests will enjoy this comfort
food without the guilt.